Amusement devices



2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 6, 1957 FIGB S R.s YL mw m me m F. T WB MNA U m Mm w 1 1 l 1 Z N\. w M J A 2 0 2 .JL m15 i m. m 2 R 4 3 0 2 4 M a z 2 n 2 2 v/ /L F --.e .1 d Z 1|. l\ m m Nu w 5 4 Jan. 19, 1960 L. F. Guss AMUSEMENT DEVICES Filed Deo. 6, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

LOUIS F. GUSS ATTORNEYS United States Patent O AMUSEMENT DEVICES Louis F. Guss, Green Lake, Wis. Application December 6, 1957, Serial No. 701,162 2 Claims. (Cl. 273-129) This invention relates to a new and improved amusement device and more particularly to an amusement device for impelling a ball, puck, or the like along the surface of the ground, oor, or other playing surface.

A primary object of the invention is a new and improved impelling device for projecting a ball, puck, or the like lalong a playing surface in response to manual actuation of the'device.

A more specific object of the invention is a new and improved ball or puck impeller for amusement purposes which may be actuated by simple manipulation with one hand of the player or operator.

Another object of the invention is a new and improved amusement device for impelling a ball or puck along a playing surface which automatically returns to an unactuated normal position after each use of the device.

A particular object of the invention is a new and improved ball or puck impelling amusement device Which is relatively simple 4and economical in construction.

p A further object of the invention is a new and improved ball or puck impelling amusement device which affords the operator thereof substantial latitude With respect to the impelling force applied to the ball or puck.

Other and further objects of the present invention will be apparent from the following description and claims and are illustrated in the accompanying drawings which, by way of illustration, show preferred embodiments of the present invention and the principles thereof and what I now consider to be the best mode in which I have contemplated applying these principles. Other embodiments of the invention embodying the same or equivalent principles may be used and structural changes may be madeas desired by those skilled in the art without Adeparting from the present invention and the purview of the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a rear elevation View of an amusement de-v vice constructed in accordance with one embodiment of the invention, the device being in actuated position;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken along line 2 2 in Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3-3 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a bottom view taken along line 6 6 in Fig. l;

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nel 12 which extends longitudinally of the shaft member throughout a major portion of the length thereof. The channel 12 faces the rear surface 13 of the shaft member; the channel may be left open as illustrated in Figs. l and 2 or may be covered over for at least a portion of its length if desired. The top end portion 14 vof the channel should in any event be left open as is explained more llly hereinafter. A fixed handle 15 is mounted at the top end of the shaft member 11 adjacent the corresponding end portion 14 of the channel 12.

' Wood, the handle 15 may also be conveniently constructed from wood or from a plastic material and preferably is fitted into the shaft member and glued or otherwise firmly secured therein.

A substantially U-shaped guard member 20 is mounted at the opposite end of the shaft member 11 with the bight portion 21 spaced from the shaft member. The bight portion 21 of the guard member 20 comprises a ground-engaging support for the amusement device 10 Vand is aligned with a ball, puck, or the like 22 when the amusement device is in use. The guard member` 20 is preferably fabricated from sheet steel or other sheet met-al which affords substantial strength and rigidity. The upper portion of they guard member 20 is bent or otherwise deformed, as bya punch press, to form a split collar 23 which embraces the shaft member 11. The collar portion 23 of the guard member thus affords a convenient means for mounting the guard member on the shaft 11; the mounting arrangement may include suitable screws or other fastening devices 24. VPreferably, the sides of the guard member 20 are provided with ribs 25 for still'ening and strengthening the guard member. The use of the ribs 25 makes it possible to employ relatively ligh gauge sheet metal inconstructing the guard member without unduly weakening the guard.

The amusement device 10 further includes a paddle member 313 which is substantially channel-shaped in Across section. The paddle member 30 is pivotally mounted within the guard member 20 as by means of a suitable pin or shaft 31 which extends across the guard member and on which the paddle member is journalled As best indicated in Fig. 2, an extension portion 32 of the paddle member projects beyond the pivot pin 31 to afford a means for connecting an actuating mechanism to the paddle member. A pair of spacers or washers 33 are preferably employed to maintain the paddle member 3) in alignment on the shaft 31.

An elongated actuating member 35 is disposed within the channel 12 in the shaft 11 and extends along a major portion of the shaft channel. In the illustrated embodiment of the invention comprising delyice 10, the actuating member 35 comprises a steelfro'drof relatively small diameter, the upper end of which is bent outwardly of the channel to form a handle-connection portion 36. The other end 37 of the actuating rod 35 is pivotally connected to the extension 32 of'the paddle 30 as by a suitable pin or rod 33. Thus, it will be seen that longitudinal sliding movement of the actuating rod 35 within the channel 12 is effective to pivot the paddle 30 about the pin 31 as indicated by the arrow A.

The amusement device 10 is also provided with resilient biasing means for urging the paddle member 30 toward-the normal or unactuated position illustrated in solid lines in Fig. 2. This biasing means comprises7 in this instance, a torsion spring 40 which is disposed in encompassing relation to the shaft 31. One end of the spring 40 engages the pin 38, whereas the opposite end engages the shaft 11 `and thus urges the paddle against clockwise movement, as seen in Fig. 2, to main- When the shaft member 11 is constructed of' numeral '51 and as bestjillustrated in Fig.y 4. manner, it is possible to align the amusement device accurately with respect to ballsor pucks, such as the puck `22Ajin"Fig.4, 'ofvarying sizes Vvand diameters and to 'handle`43 Ais 'provided With convolutions corresponding `to the ngers of an -operators hand. TheV actuating handle is spaced from the iXed handle 15 by only a relatiyely short distance; this distance is preferably made relatively small1in relation to the Yspan of an operators hand in order that a person using the amusement device may encompass both of the handles 15 and 43 within the grip ofl one hand. The Vhandle 43 may conveniently be constructed from wood or plastic material and may be glued or otherwise `'securedfto the Vend 'portion 36 of the actuating "rod, In addition, a retaining pin 45 ismounted in the shaft member 11 of the amusement device in engagement with the actuating rod 35 and serves to retain the actuating 'rod in 'the desired position'within the channel A12 (see Figs. .1, 2 and 3). Operationof the' amusement device in impelling a ball,

puck, or the like l'along a playing surface is extremely simplefand affords the player substantial latitude in the amount` of force applied to the' ball Vor puck. Thus, in utilizing the -amusementdevice, the device is disposed adjacent the ball 22, for example, as indicated in Fig. l. The'amusement device is'aligned with the'ball Vina Vman- Vner such that -the paddle 30 extends parallel to the line 'of'travel in Which'it is ldesired to impel the ball. The rplayer then grasps the two handles 15 and 43 in one hand and exerts a squeezing or gripping force on the two handles. .This manual actuation of theV device moves the handle 43 -upwardly toward the handle 15, pulling the actuating rod V3 5 toward theiactuated position indicated by dash outline 357Arin Fig. 2. As a consequence, the jpaddle V30 -isA pivoted about the pin 31, moving in the direction indicated by the arrow A toward the striking or Vactuatedposition V30A shown yin dash outline in Fig. 2.

Y This movement of the'paddle brings it into contact with the ball 22 and drives the ball along the desired line of movement; in Fig. 2, the ball has already started its movement away from the amusement device 1t).

VAs soon as the player Areleases the gripping force applied to-the two handles 15 andV 43, the biasing spring Y40 yimpels the paddle' 3i) ina counter-clockwise ydirection (FigQZ), returning the paddle member and the rod 35 to their initial'positions. As a consequence, the handle 43 is automatically returned to its initial `position as indicated in Fig. 2 and is again ready for use. There isQno necessity for -cockingor adjusting the amusement device 10 at anytime; rather, it'is atall times readyY for use in accordance with thedictates of the player. Y

Theforce applied to the ball 22 by the paddle 30 in operationV of the amusement Vdevice is 'entirely de- ;pe'ndent upon-the squeezing or gripping force applied Vto the-two-handlesand 43 of the'amusement device by the vplayer..,'Fljlus,.if therplayer grips the two handles with a force barely sucient to overcome the biasing force exertedby thespring 40, therpaddle 30 is moved very slowlytoward its striking `position and consequently apmately the same point within the compass of the U-shaped guard member for different sizes and shapes of balls or pucks. Consequently, the amusement device 10 may readily be constructed to afford an outward driving force, the direction of which is substantially independentV of the size or conguration of the puck or ball within very wide limits. As a consequence, the device may be employed in a manner such that therei's'but little tendency to lift the puck or ball; on the other hand, some Ylifting action may be attained if desired.

Fig. 5 shows a marking or scoring device Yfrorvone game with which the amusement device 10 may be utilized. ri`he scoring device 6) shown Jtherein comprises a plate 61 supported upon a central hub 62 from which a series of iins or dividers 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, v77 and 78 extend in radial spaced array. Thus, the ns or dividers 71-78 define a series of pockets, identied upon the face of the plate 61 by indicia 79 which designate the Ypockets by numbers from oneV to eight. A very simple game employing this device with the amusement device 10 :may proceed as follows: Y l

Each player is provided with eight different balls or pucks, depending upon the nature Vof the playing surface.

On turf or on a similar high friction sufrace, balls are preferred, whereas pucks are best utilized on a'relatively smooth surface such as the oor of a recreation. room or the deck of aV ship. The eight diferentplaying devices are numbered to correspond tothe indicia 79. At the start of the play, the yfirst Vplayer locates h-is first ball or puck at a preselected starting point spaced by a lsubstantial distance from the device 60.V He then utilizes the amusement .device ltlto impel the ball or puck toward the scoring device 60, the object being to Vdeposit the ball or puck in the first pocket of the scoring device encompassed between vthe dividers 71 and 78. l The players proceed in turns, usingthe balls or pucks .m sequence. The Winner vof the game is the rst player who manages to Y depositV all of his eight pucks or balls inthe scoringdeplies only a`relatively 'small propulsion force to the ball 22. On the-other hand, application of a relatively strong' gripping'force to the two handles may be utilized to drive the'paddle'30 very rapidly from its normal position to its striking'positiomthereby applying a substantial driving force 'to the ball. f

To .facilitate use of the amusement device with a puck or with a ball of relatively small diameter, theuleading edge V50 of theY bight portion 21 of the guard member 20 maybe'cut ,away or indented as indicated by reference Y In this maintain the-striking'position of thepaddle Y30 atVVV approxiyof the ball or puck movementby the player.

vice 60. Gf course, vcolor-coding may be utilized .to segregate the balls of the individual players or to correlate the balls with the individual pockets dened by the dividers 71-78.

Even with a relatively simple game of the kind described immediately hereinabove, it is apparent that the players must vary the force with which the individual balls or pucks areimpelled toward the scoring device on different plays of the game. Thus, if the first shot toward pocket number one misses, Ythe ball or'puck maycome to rest at a location closely adjacent the scoring device 6%. Under these circumstancesjf the ball were impelled toward the pocket `on the next play with a force equal to the original forceV applied Vat the starting point,which is located a substantial distance from the scoring device,

the player could never hope lto have theY ball 'retained in the scoring device. Rather, it wouldbounce away and vthe ,player would be in afworse. position than when he ystarted the second-play. With the amusement device 10, the propelling force applied to the ball or puck maybe varied from a very substantial driving force to a bare nudge, permittinghighly accurate and effective control Thus, the amusement device 10 permits the playerto exerciseI sklll not only in aiming of the impelled ball or puck but also in the driving force applied thereto.

F.ig.-61illustrates another embodiment of the invention which is in many respects similar to that of Figs. l and V2 but which is adapted to be utilized in games'vvhich 'require a ball or other game -piecetobe deposited in an elevatedreceptacle 161 or to be projected over obstacles or barriers. The amusementV device shown in Fig. 6 comprises the elongatedA shaft 'memberfll having a longitudinal channel 12. As before,a Xed handle 15 1s mounted at the top end of the shaft member 11 and a substantially V-shaped guide-'member V20 is mounted kat the Yappesi-hte end of theshaft. As'before, the bight POTOn 21 of the guard member constitutes the groundengaging support for the amusement device.

The amusement device 150 further includes an actuating handle 43 which is aixed to the handle portion 36 of an actuating rod 35 disposed in the channel 12. The opposite end 37 of the actuating rod 35 is pivotally connected to the extension portion 152 of a paddle or impeller member 153. The paddle member 153, on the other hand, is pivotally mounted in the guard member 20 as by means of a suitable pin or shaft 154. A torsion spring 155 is mounted on the shaft 154 in engagement with the pin 151 and the shaft 11 and normally urges the paddle member 153 to an initial or unactuated position as indicated by dash outline 153A, the actuating rod 35 being normally maintained in the position indicated by dash outline 35A.

The paddle member 153 is generally similar to the paddle 30; in this instance, however, the paddle member is provided with an end portion 157 which faces upwardly at an acute angle when the paddle is in its actuated position as shown in solid lines in the drawing. This end portion 157 of the paddle, which comprises the portion thereof which engages a ball or like object in utilization of the amusement device 150, may be provided with a rubber or fabric pad 158 if desired, although this is not essential.

With a paddle member shaped as shown in Fig. 6, a definite lofting action can be imparted to a ball, such as the ball 162, impelling the ball upwardly and outwardly from the amusement device 150 as indicated by arrow B. Consequently, the ball may be projected into an elevated receptacle 161 or over barriers, depending upon the nature of the game. The same effect may be achieved with bean bags and other game pieces. Of course, it is also possible to achieve some lofting action With the other embodiment of the device described hereinabove, but the device 150 oiers substantial advantages in this regard.

Hence, while I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that these are capable of variation and modification.

I claim:

1. An amusement device for impelling a ball, puck, or the like comprising: an elongated shaft member having a channel therein extending for a major portion of the length of said shaft; a xedvhandle mounted on one end of said shaft member adjacent one end of said channel; a substantially U-shaped guard member mounted on said shaft member at the end thereof opposite said xed handle with the bight portion of said guard member spaced from said shaft; a pin extending transversely of said guard member; a paddle member pivotally mounted on said pin; an elongated actuating member, disposed Within said channel for longitudinal sliding movement therein and pivotally connected at one end to said paddle member; resilient biasing means, comprising a torsion spring mounted on said pin and engaging said guard and paddle members, for urging said paddle member toward a normal position in which said paddle member extends outwardly of said guard member; and an actuating handle, affixed to the end of said actuating member opposite said paddle member and normally spaced from said xed handle by a relatively short distance, for moving said actuating member longitudinally of said channel to pivot said paddle member in opposition to said biasing means toward a striking position within the compass of said guard member.

2. An amusement device for impelling a playing piece, ball, puck, or the like along a playing surface from an initial position on that surface, comprising: an elongated shaft member having an open channel therein extending for a major portion of the length of said shaft; a fixed handle mounted on one end of said shaft member adjacent one end of said channel; a substantially U-shaped sheet-metal guard member having the ends thereof bent to form a split collar, said collar being afhxed to said shaft member at the end thereof opposite said xed handle with the bight portion of said guard member spaced from said shaft, said bight portion of said guide member having an open-ended indentation to provide for location of said guard member in partial encompassing relation to the playing piece without disturbing the position of the playing piece on the playing surface; a channel-shaped sheet metal paddle member pivotally mounted on said guard member; an elongated actuating rod member, disposed within said channel for longitudinal sliding movement therein and pivotally connected at one end to said paddle member; resilient biasing means comprising a torsion spring effectively engaging said guard and paddle members, for urging said paddle member toward a normal position in which said paddle member extends outwardly of said guard member approximately normal to said shaft; and an actuating handle, affixed to the end of said actuating rod member opposite said paddle member and normally spaced from said xed handle by a relatively short distance, for moving said actuating rod member longitudinally of said channel to pivot said paddle member in opposition to said biasing means toward a striking position within the compass of said guard member.

References Cited in the file kof this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS v 747,646 Sandstrom Dec. 22, 1903 1,609,247 `Hanley Nov. 30, Y1926 1,678,527 Payne July 24, 1928 1,739,467 Klutho Dec. 10, 1929 2,001,449 Bergstrom May 14, 1935 2,477,308 Malkan July 26, 1949 2,719,716 Sawtelle Oct. 4, 1955 

